Listen to the article
As contraception funding declines and misinformation spreads rapidly across social media platforms, an unexpected tool is emerging as a powerful countermeasure: entertainment. From TikTok videos to television dramas, creative storytelling is proving effective in communicating accurate information about reproductive health.
The stakes are high. In a recent development, the Trump administration is poised to destroy nearly $10 million worth of contraceptives, incorrectly labeling them as abortifacients. These supplies, purchased with U.S. government funding before the dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), remain stored in a Belgian warehouse awaiting incineration. Despite offers from the United Nations and civil society groups to purchase and distribute them, these proposals have been rejected.
This situation represents more than just a potential waste of vital healthcare resources—it symbolizes the dual threats to reproductive health: diminishing access to contraceptives and the proliferation of misinformation.
The spread of false information is having measurable impacts. Research shows a correlation between misleading content about hormonal birth control on platforms like TikTok and declining contraceptive use among young women. A recent peer-reviewed study found that TikTok videos containing inaccurate information about birth control have amassed nearly 5 billion views collectively. About 90 percent of these videos come from influencers who lack medical credentials.
This surge in misinformation coincides with a critical reduction in global family planning funding. After a decade of relative stability, international family planning assistance is facing significant cutbacks, with countries including the United Kingdom, Australia, Denmark, and Sweden following the U.S. in reducing support.
The consequences are alarming. In 2023, nearly half of all pregnancies worldwide were unintended. Experts estimate that 257 million women in developing countries who do not wish to become pregnant lack access to modern contraception—a figure that continues to rise. Aid workers in Kenya warn that without intervention, “By the end of the year we’ll be looking at dire situations.”
Similarly, the suspension of funding for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) threatens to reverse decades of progress in HIV prevention, treatment, and care, according to Physicians for Human Rights.
However, access to contraceptives and medications represents only part of the reproductive health equation. Social determinants—including education, knowledge, attitudes, religious beliefs, and behavioral choices—play crucial roles. Stigma, unfounded fears about side effects, and resistance from male partners often create additional barriers to contraceptive use.
Entertainment education offers a promising solution. Decades of experience across multiple countries demonstrate that character-driven educational programming through radio and television shows can transform attitudes and behaviors. Viewers of such programs are reportedly three times more likely to use contraception than non-viewers.
The Hulu drama series “East Los High,” the first to feature an all-Latino cast, exemplifies this approach in the U.S. Created in collaboration with community health workers, social scientists, and civil society groups, the show effectively communicated fact-based messages about sexual and reproductive health to teens. During its first season, the show’s website directed 22 percent of its traffic to Planned Parenthood’s mobile app for STI testing.
Short-form digital media presents even greater potential. The micro-drama series “Breaking the Ice” on ReelShort, with two-minute episodes featuring teenage characters navigating romance and pregnancy, has garnered 273 million views.
At a time when international funding for family planning faces disruption, digital entertainment education offers a cost-effective strategy with potentially massive impact. If accurate, fact-based information could reach billions of young people through entertaining narrative videos, it could dramatically increase contraceptive use and STI testing, and even motivate advocacy for domestic funding of family planning resources.
Ultimately, improving reproductive health outcomes requires both unrestricted access to family planning services and products, and the open communication of factual information. While advocates fight to maintain services against declining aid, the battle for accurate information and education remains equally vital.
Verify This Yourself
Use these professional tools to fact-check and investigate claims independently
Reverse Image Search
Check if this image has been used elsewhere or in different contexts
Ask Our AI About This Claim
Get instant answers with web-powered AI analysis
Related Fact-Checks
See what other fact-checkers have said about similar claims
Want More Verification Tools?
Access our full suite of professional disinformation monitoring and investigation tools
12 Comments
The potential waste of $10 million worth of contraceptives is deeply concerning. At a time when access to reproductive healthcare is already under threat, destroying these vital supplies is unconscionable. I hope the UN and civil society groups can find a way to distribute them to those in need.
Absolutely. Those contraceptives could make a real difference for so many people. It’s troubling that political ideology seems to be trumping public health concerns in this case. Every effort should be made to get those supplies to the people who need them.
It’s alarming to see the Trump administration’s plans to destroy essential contraceptive supplies. This seems like a politically-motivated move that will only hurt vulnerable populations. Social media’s role in spreading misinformation is troubling, but I’m encouraged to hear that creative content is helping to combat it.
I share your concern. Reproductive healthcare should not be politicized in this way. Destroying contraceptives while people lack access is unconscionable. Social media platforms need stronger safeguards against the spread of medical misinformation.
I’m encouraged to hear that creative storytelling is proving effective in communicating accurate reproductive health information on social media. Building awareness and dispelling myths through entertainment is a smart approach. Platforms need to do more to proactively limit the spread of dangerous misinformation.
Yes, leveraging popular media to reach people with factual health information is a clever strategy. Social media companies should partner with content creators to amplify these kinds of educational initiatives and combat the tide of misinformation.
I’m curious to learn more about the specific misinformation narratives spreading on social media regarding reproductive health. What are the most prevalent false claims, and how are they impacting access to accurate information and services? Understanding the problem better is the first step to finding solutions.
That’s a great question. Detailed research on the nature and impacts of this misinformation would be valuable. Identifying the most harmful falsehoods and how they spread could inform more effective strategies to counter them and protect public health.
This is a complex and multifaceted issue. On one hand, the decline in contraception funding and the proliferation of misinformation are deeply concerning. On the other, the creative use of entertainment media to spread accurate information is an encouraging development. Addressing the root causes of these problems will require a multi-pronged approach.
Well said. There are no easy solutions, but a combination of policy changes, media partnerships, and public awareness campaigns could help turn the tide. Ensuring access to reproductive healthcare and stemming the flow of misinformation are both critical priorities.
This is a concerning issue. Misinformation on social media can have real-world consequences, especially when it comes to sensitive topics like reproductive health. I hope creative storytelling can help counter these false narratives and ensure people have access to accurate information.
Agreed. Wasting contraceptives that could be distributed to those in need is an egregious waste. Social media platforms need to do more to curb the spread of harmful misinformation.